less break than

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "less break than" is not correct in standard written English.
It seems to be an attempt to compare the frequency or amount of breaks, but it lacks clarity and proper grammatical structure. Example: "This new policy allows for less break than the previous one, which is more efficient for productivity."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Following their victory over France, Vincente del Bosque's side have two days less break than the Portuguese before their semi-final clash.

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

"Vern's much less broken than those guys," says Arnett, "a lot less psychologically cracked.

The Guardian - Film

For that reason, lighter hiking boots will require less breaking in than heavy boots, and leather hiking boots will take a particularly long time to break in.

WikiHow

Her first feature role, as Kevin Costner's pregnant wife in "The Untouchables," proved a less satisfying break than her 1986 Broadway debut in "The House of Blue Leaves".

The New York Times

It's far less back-breaking than leaning over a bath or baby bath and trying to make sure that they don't slither out of your hands.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

This was an interesting Lund we were introduced to: less obviously broken than at the beginning of series two, attempting (unsuccessfully of course) to build bridges with Mark, even laying the table rather than eating from the pan.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

In other words, $700 million down the drain, and there's no way to prove it's any less likely to break than it was a decade ago.

Vice

An equally important question, not addressed in this work, is whether a particular region is more or less likely to break than any other region in the same organism.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

They are less likely to break than drop point knives, and there is a wide variety of them.

WikiHow

For example, wooden toys are less likely to break than flimsy plastic toys, and if you buy a high quality cooking pan, you will not have to replace it quickly due to a warped bottom.

WikiHow

St Mirren were less threatening after the break than before, when McGinn's back-post header from Jason Naismith's cross forced Brown to spring into action and turn it away for a corner.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing the quantity of breaks, use "fewer" instead of "less" because "breaks" are countable nouns. For example, prefer "fewer breaks than" over "less break than".

Common error

Avoid using "less" when referring to countable items like "breaks". "Less" is for uncountable nouns (e.g., "less time"). Instead, use "fewer" to correctly compare the number of breaks.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "less break than" functions as a comparative attempting to express a smaller amount of breaks. However, it is grammatically questionable because "break" is a countable noun. Ludwig AI flags this usage as incorrect.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Science

34%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "less break than" is generally considered grammatically incorrect according to Ludwig AI. The issue stems from using "less" with the countable noun "break". A more appropriate phrasing would be "fewer breaks than" when referring to the quantity of breaks, or "less time for breaks than" when comparing the duration. While it may occasionally appear in informal contexts like news articles, it's best to avoid this phrase in formal writing. Given its limited and questionable usage, opting for grammatically sound alternatives ensures clarity and precision in communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fewer breaks than

Replaces "less" with "fewer" to correctly compare countable nouns (breaks).

shorter break compared to

Uses "shorter" to compare the duration of breaks.

less time for breaks than

Specifies that it is the "time" allocated for breaks that is being compared.

a smaller number of breaks than

Rephrases the comparison to emphasize the quantity of breaks.

less opportunity for breaks than

Focuses on the availability or opportunity for breaks.

reduced break time compared to

Emphasizes the reduction in break time.

less frequent breaks than

Highlights the frequency of breaks as the point of comparison.

a diminished break allowance compared to

Uses more formal language to describe a reduction in the allocated break time.

a decreased number of breaks versus

Uses "decreased" and "versus" for a more formal tone, indicating a reduction in break frequency.

less interruption than

Compares the amount of interruption experienced rather than breaks.

FAQs

What is the correct way to compare the number of breaks?

The correct way to compare the number of breaks is to use "fewer breaks than" instead of "less break than". "Fewer" is used for countable nouns, while "less" is used for uncountable nouns.

What can I say instead of "less break than"?

You can use alternatives like "fewer breaks than", "shorter break compared to", or "less time for breaks than" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "less break than" or "fewer breaks than"?

"Fewer breaks than" is correct. "Less break than" is grammatically incorrect because "breaks" are countable.

What's the difference between "less break than" and "less time for breaks than"?

"Less break than" is grammatically incorrect. "Less time for breaks than" is acceptable when you are referring to the duration of breaks, rather than the number of breaks. It's better to use "fewer breaks than" when discussing the quantity of breaks.